And there's raring to go and being in any way match sharp, never mind able for an All I semifinal. If we make it that far. Connollys season is gone unless we make the final, he might be able to come in as a sub or whatever, and play some sort of part then. But we may very well not get that far in no small part due to his absence. Of course, a few individual squad members might get together for a bit of a casual kick-around in the park of a monday evening now and then......

You would have to imagine they have some sort of regime set up for him . What that is , I've no idea or what it entails . But its not like he has an injury or anything . If we dont make it to the semi at least it will be a disaster . And I wouldn't be laying the blame at his doorstep either for it. Defences will be tighter if we progress but we are only two games away from a semi . Who knows , Costello could be back for the Leinster Final . If we can't get to a semi with Mannion , Con , Rock , Kilkenny , Brogan , Kev , O'Gara , Flynn & Costello without Diarmuid then something will be very wrong . Either guys have lost form or we lose it on the sideline .

We hammered Roscommon in the league. We revelled and we drank wine, everybody having a good time, except for those, who were looking for the end of the world.

Or to put it in a non-Bono way, after hammering an average team who were on a terrible run, and who didn't defend, in Croker, alot of people proclaimed the 2nd coming of Bernard, Flynn, and MDMA. And everyone on top form, and only starting to hit our stride after the long winter lay-off. And that we now had the best squad we've had in the last 5 years. This on a background of struggling alot in most other games.

Subsequently our performances reverted, or rather continued to be proven mostly mediocre as soon as we faced any serious competition. The evidence overall is mostly that when faced with better teams who are performing well we are struggling. And against Carlow we were simply flat.

So is it any wonder that when people lose the plot over a game that over the years we have always looked like the greatest team ever in, namely where the oppo don't produce a decent contest, that being no serious defence, and when the lads are seriously up for it for whatever reasons, that some people want to offer a balancing view?And in the context of all the nonsense surrounding the suspension, the significance of that performance got even more blown out of proportion than just about any previous, with the possible exception of a couple of Leinster hammerings the team handed out circa 2006-2008

I'd say Jim and Dermo came to a mutual agreement. Where Dermo does his own thing for a while . Keeps his fitness up and possibly they put in a training plan in place after Leinster final and basically take it from there .Dublins form in a quarter final (if we get there) could dictate how things will work out. Dermo keeps himself in great shape and is a very intelligent footballer, so I can't see him missing a Leinster final and quater final setting him back, like it might for other footballers.. More importantly will be the half and full forwards form going into a semifinal, If we are on form , Dermo mightnt get near the team , but if we have injuries, suspensions or a couple of players off form , he might walk straight back in.

Subsequently our performances reverted, or rather continued to be proven mostly mediocre as soon as we faced any serious competition. The evidence overall is mostly that when faced with better teams who are performing well we are struggling. And against Carlow we were simply flat.

So is it any wonder that when people lose the plot over a game that over the years we have always looked like the greatest team ever in, namely where the oppo don't produce a decent contest, that being no serious defence, and when the lads are seriously up for it for whatever reasons, that some people want to offer a balancing view?

mediocre, maybe, but we were still unbeaten. it was only when we got over the "record" that the team seemed to finally run out of gas. Even so, it has been stated that most of the top players in the team had not even returned to proper training and we only lost to Kerry by the minimum (indeed there are those who say had DC stayed on we would not have lost that one either).

After the all ireland last year many were saying we would be mad to try and win the league and we should save all our energy for the 3 in a row. All the evidence in hindsight suggests that is actually what happened and yet we still almost won it. A league which many say Division 1 is tougher to win than the All Ireland.

The reality is that like in soccer, for example, if a team wants to park the bus against a better team, that better team will still win but not by a large amount. We have seen that happen many times with this team, and it happened again against Carlow. Against Rsocommon and Mayo and now Westmeath we got a team who didnt set up that way and we played much better.

I'm not one of those who only posts in the interests of Dublin GAA, but if you look around at who we assume will be at the business end of the championship and I still put our team, with the top players in it (whoever thay may be coem August) ahead of the others. If we look at the form it tells us Kerry struggled to beat Clare, Mayo lost to Galway again and Tyrone beat a busted flush. If you want to go about saying our win against Westmeath counts for nothing then their respective performances go likewise (except Mayo who are I think one defeat away from oblivion now).

I'd say Jim and Dermo came to a mutual agreement. Where Dermo does his own thing for a while . Keeps his fitness up and possibly they put in a training plan in place after Leinster final and basically take it from there .Dublins form in a quarter final (if we get there) could dictate how things will work out. Dermo keeps himself in great shape and is a very intelligent footballer, so I can't see him missing a Leinster final and quater final setting him back, like it might for other footballers.. More importantly will be the half and full forwards form going into a semifinal, If we are on form , Dermo mightnt get near the team , but if we have injuries, suspensions or a couple of players off form , he might walk straight back in.

I agree Navyseal.

One thing that puzzles me regarding the reaction to the DC situation: if he was injured and we were told he can't train, but would be back for the semi-final, would we be as negative about his chances of playing a part this year as some here seem to be? For example CC and Philly have been out for some time but we are all looking forward to them coming back in and nobody is saying they won't be ready because they have been off injured for weeks.

Surely, if DC can continue to follow an agreed regime, then there is every chence he can still play a role in what we hope will be the two defining games?

Fair points DIT, you're right, it was only mediocre by their own very high standards. But some of the results were pure experience and opposition not believing they could win.

Honestly after that league and the loss of Connolly we have to wait and see how we do against a serious opponent and/or when/if we fall flat again. And we haven't beaten Kerry in 2 games so far this year

In the greater scheme of things the provincials are immaterial in my view. Mayo may have issues but like last year you would expect them to come back through to Croke Park. The same can largely be said for Dublin, Kerry and even Tyrone in the more competitive province if they lost.

Many have said Ulster teams have it harder but if they lose in their province they really shouldn't be thrown out of the qualifiers against sides from the lower divisions if they are considered AI pedigree.

What a league and in my view now the provincial indicates is form. It will show how a team is moving , who's playing well and who is struggling. I think it's also true to say that form is a good thing, something you want to have rather than hope for in the quarters finals and to that extent the WH victory should be considered encouraging.

But ultimately, for the serious sides the championship begins in the quarter finals and baring a rare heavyweight meeting in the qualifiers all the top sides will be in that group of 8. Its only then will the questions be answered.

The reality is that like in soccer, for example, if a team wants to park the bus against a better team, that better team will still win but not by a large amount. We have seen that happen many times with this team, and it happened again against Carlow. Against Rsocommon and Mayo and now Westmeath we got a team who didnt set up that way and we played much better.

Yes, you are right, but to be honest I think a defensive tactic is as valid as an offensive one, so I have no issue with it. But what does worry me, is that unlike soccer, a lesser team can beat a better one by edging beyond the rules of the game. This is how Down beat Monaghan, and as someone pointed out in the discussion here over that game, how Mayo beat us in 2012. It is how Kerry tried to beat us in the away game in the league this year also. Unless every foul is actually penalised in a game, it will always give lesser teams a chance against Dublin.

I don't really get the whole match sharpness argument when it comes to GAA in the championship, as the gap between games is so big you only get match sharpness from A V B games which Dermo will miss out on. I don't think he will start the Semi (should we get there) on that basis but would fully expect he will be a sub, just like he would be if coming back from an injury.regarding reading too much into beating Westmeath, I don't think anyone is but just pointing out the positives form the game such as Mannion getting some confidence and game time for O'Gara etc. I personally would have liked to have seen some more game time for Howard and the other youngsters in the second half as the game was over at that stage.